Slicing-machine.



PATENTED JULY 10, 1906.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1,

MH I I HuHHP l l uuhuu HHHHNW w. Tn hhH y m ,9 Now M lflh larrzi 1 1 G. EDWARDS. SLICING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZS, 1904,

No. 825,529. PA'I'BNTED JULY 10, 1906.

G. EDWARDS.

SLICING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION rum MAY 28. 1004.

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flarezafar PATENTBD JULY 10, 19

G. EDWARDS.

SLIGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED mmze, 1904 5 SHEETS-SHEET 3 fizz/62a 2 0)" Qegzye Eda/anal;

Wa /'51 e 6 6 No. 825,529. PATENTED JULY 10, 1906. G. EDWARDS.

SLIDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY2B,1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

W 29: we z'M wg aly d 2 PATBNTED JULY 10, 1906.

G. EDWARDS. SLIGING MACHINE.

arrmm'rmn FILED mama 1904.

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7J&Zzmsaa fiwazzi ar Q601- 6mm UNITED STATES OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1906.

A lication filed Kay 23, 1904 Serial No. 210,276.

To all whom it may concern,-

Be it known that I, GEORGE Enwasns, provision merchant, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residin at 27 St. Angustines Road, Camden Town, Jondon, En land, have invented certain new and useful Irn irovements in Slicing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of machinery used for slicing bacon and other inatters requiring to be cut into even slices of suitable thickness.

In most existin machines with which I am acquainted the s ices of the bacon or other material out are allowed to fall into a receiver or are simply removed singly by hand, and a considerable residue of the block of material necessarily remains uncut.

A distinguishing feature of this invention consists in the knives traveling in a horizon tal plane and passing through the block of material time after time etc fresh point in the block by reason of the block being moved step by ste so as to present successively the point at wiich each successive cut is to be made, and yet leaving the slices assembled in substantiai ly their original order and position in the block before such slicing and' ready for the removal of any of the slices in pile as may be desired, while at the cuttingpoint where the knife inserts itself into and passes through the block any pressure 'of'the superincumbent slices is taken oil by a sup porting-spring, the weight of which spring is algain taken off by the blades of the knives t emselves acting 'as a species of cam or wedge, this arrangement utilizing the force of gravitation in keeping the slices in place, as well as helping to retain the slice being out in place durin severance, the parts as; scent to the knife a so giving the ed e of the block support to prevent tearin or ragging away of material, as will be ex aincd. The bacon or the like matter by t arran ement can be sliced up to thelast piece, an even that will be about normal thickness of slice.

, The following constitutes a convenient embodiment of mechanism for carrying the invention into practical use; but the apparar tus admits of considerable modification to circumstances, such as variation in the material to be amend the urposes of the slices. In this embodiment I ave had more especially in view the slicing up of bacon, such as for use as what is known as breakfast-bacon slices.

For other uses details would be modified.

Figure 1 by a side view indicates the gen-' plate and its adjuncts to illustrate how it is connected to the feed-screw. Fig. 7 is a. plan view of Fi 6, partly in section, to illustrate more cleai ly how the plate is released from the feed-screw. Fig. 8. by front View shows the up or portion of the receptacle for material to e cut and its arts, the double flexible spring-plates honest I which the knives pass, and the guide for the guide-block. Fig. 9 is an edge view of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a plan view of theparts shown by Figs. 8 and 9, including one of the cutting-knives. Fig. 11 is an edge View of the guide-block, and Fig. 12 isaplan vie vg of the same.

Curved knives a a, herein shown as two in Iiililfib'el, are secured on the opposite sides of a small ce'ntral circular knife plate or support I, Fig. 10, as by set-screws 2, said plate 1 being mounted on the end of a vertical shaft 5,

isiirnaled in brackets 3 3 on the side frames c. Between, these brackets 3 3 and fitted on the shaft b is a bevel-toothed wheel 4, which wheel engages with and is driven byasecond bevel-whee 5.

cc indicate the franiin of the machine,

and q q are cross-stays, an 67 nuts thereto.

The wheel 5 rotates at right an les to wheel 4 and is mounted on the mains aft :1, carried by bearings 6,, '1, and is driven by the ll -wheel .2. Sis the handle for moving the wheel a by manual power, or this may be re lacedb a power-pulls This main shaft lies snot er gear-wheel 9 mounted on it, gearing with the wheel 10, carried b a pin i i in a bearing 12, bolted to the side ame c (more clearly seen in Figs. 3, 4, and 5) for actuating the adjustable feed mechanism to be explained.

The meat or other material 'to be sliced is supported upon a plate g, here shown as of rectangular rm; at this may be varied to suit conveniepee, fitted to whose u turned edge 13 by screwing and riveting or ot erwise is a row of points or teeth 14, here shown archine.

lig t steel or iron ranged slightly above the plane of the supporting-plate g and at the si e next to the ma An opposed row of points or teeth 15 are fitted in a similar manner to a flat adjustable plate or bar 16, the plate having parallel guideways or slots 17 cut partly across the width of said rectangular plate 9 from front to back parallel to the teeth 14 15. This adjustable bar 16 has a correspondin number of set-screws 18 and fly-nuts 19 a 'Xed to the under side of and so asto pass throu h the rectangular late g. These enable t e bar to be set at t e desired interval. A handle 20 is attached to the adjustable bar 16, and by it this bar is moved into position to press against the piece of meat or material to be sliced.

The-plate g is held in front of the machine in a horizontal position by means of a bracket 21, said bracket bein retained in a vertical slot 23 between the e. ges of the rece tacle h.-

This bracket 21 is connected to the p ate 9, as by rivets or screws, and at its opposite end it is bolted to a sleeve j, provider with adjustable means for engaging and disengaging the feed-screw 7c, hereinafter referred to. The receptacle It has, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, two upright flat steel sprin s 24, which pass in front of the bar 16 and t rough said'slots 17 in the rectangular plate g to just below about the level of the cutting edges and ressed lightly against the outer face of the block of material being cut to keep it (especiall if the block be of a slender form) pressed to t e machine-face. These springs 24 are curved at their upper ends and secured at their lower ends to the receptacle h. Their curved form enables them to clear the matter being out except at the points where their ressure is usefulnear the top portion of block that remains uncut. These springs 24, or their equivalents, when'a pliedserve by ressing lightly against the b ock of material eing cut to keep it (especially if the block is of a slender form) pressed to the face of the cuttin means. U-shaped guides 22 22 ,(omits ted in igs. 1 and 2, but shown in Figs. 6 and 7,) affixed on plate g by bolts 18 and nuts 19, serve to guide the springs 24 when plate g rises above the level of the said springs, thereby obviating danger of breakage. This receptacle h may be constructed as shown (see Fi s. 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10) and may be of latesbent to the desired sha e strengthened by vertical bars 25, rivete thereon, and attached to the framing c of the machine by angle-irons 26, carried thereon b bars 27. To the two sides of the upper art 0 this hopper h is screwed a beveled stee bar or plate 28, which, acting in conjunction with the knives, forms the cuttin means.

Immediately behind the Fong vertical slot 23, in bearings 68 and 69 on the side frame 0, is fitted the vertical feed-screw is, carrying at its upper end a ratchet-wheel 36, above which is loosely mounted a reciprocating arm 37, having on its under side a pawl 38, capable of engagin with the ratchet-teeth on the wheel 36 and ept up to its work by a s ring 39. Another pawl 40, pivoted at 41 an kept in engagement by means of the torsional spring 42, prevents backward movement of t e ratchet-wheel 36. To the outer end of the reciprocating1 arm 37 is connected by a pin 43 a iece aving slotted connections at right ang es one to the other for connecting levers 38 and 46 by pins 43 and 48. The other end 49 of the said rod 46 is adjustably secured to the slotted crank-arm 50 b means of a bolt 51, having a V-shaped hea 52, capable of sliding up and down in the slot 53 in the crank-arm 50, and afiixed to a collar 54, flanged at 70, is a pointer 55 for enabling the operator to correctly adjust the position of t ie center of the bolt 51. (which bolt constitutes the crank-pin of the crank-arm 50) correctly to the required line of the index series of lines 56, marked on the side of the arm 50, whereby to determine the thicknesses of the slices to be cut. The end 49 of the rod 46 is passed over the collar 54 and clamped in position by the fly-nut 57. The crank-arm is secured by screws 58 to its driving gear-wheel l0.

Mounted on the vertical feed-screw k by its threaded ortion is an arrangement of mechanism w ereby the rectangular plate can be raised or lowered by an open handle 32. This arrangement (see Figs. 6 and 7) consists of a sleeve 7', cylindrically formed so as to make a sliding fit on the screw 10, having at its upper end a boss 29, the outer end of which is screwed to receive a locking-nut 30. A squared hole 31 is formed in the boss to receive a square extension 33 of the handle 32, whoseside 34 nearest the feed-screw k is shaped to the radius of this screw 7c and provided with a projection 35 of size and shape when the pressure of the spiral spring 71 'is transmitted to it to enter between the thread of the screw k and lock the whole in osition, so that when the screw is is rotated t e sleeve 1' will travel u the screw, carrying with it the rectangular p ate g, connected thereto b the bracket or support 21. To release the s eeve from the screw when it is necessary to adjust the level of the plate 9, the handle 32 is pulled toward the operator, overcoming the resistance of the spring 71 and releasing the rojection 35 from the thread of the screw.

he sleeve 7' can be moved into position, carrying with it the plate g. The locking-nut 30 serves to adjust the compression on the spring 71 and keeps the various parts in p0- srtion.

The knives a mov e in a horizontal plane beneath and pressing against the under side of a circular guide-ring m, aflixed to the machine by lugs 59. To the upper side of this ringlis fitted a cross-bar 60, dparallel to but slig tly behind the cutting e ge of the steel shown angular bar 28, hereinafter described, which cross-bar 60 also carries a light radial bar 61, arran ed at right angles to the said bar 66. Fitte to the cross-bar and immediately over the cuttin ed e formed by the bars 28 is a long doub e cxible steel spring a, (more clearly seen in Fig. 9,) so arranged that the end 62 nearest the center of the machine is slightly inclined away from the front edge of the bar 28. The end 62, Fig. 8, is u turned, allowing the knives a to pass free y under this spring n. The object of this spring a is that as each slice is cut from the piece of meat or other material the slice is removed from the knives by the aid of the lower spring and retained in its position by the 11 per s ring. The springs also serve to clean om t e knives as they pass them any adherent matters.

When a piece of bacon or other material to' be sliced is placed upon the rectangular plate 9 and held in position by the adjustable bar 26, the plate g is placed at the required level to bring the surface of the substance being out level with the cutting edge of the knives. At each revolution of the shaft 5 two cuts, one by each blade, will have taken place, owing to the gearin and levers having actuated the ratchet-wheel 36, attached to the feed-screw is, twice through an angle regulated by the adjusted position of the bolt 51 in the slot 53 of the crank-arm 50, whereby the sleeve 7', connected to the plate 9, is raised, carrying with itthe material to be cut a distance equal to the predetermined thickness of a slice. The plate 9 at each cutting o eration remains stationarythat is to say, W 'leone of the knives (1 cuts through the material and severs a slice. These 0 erations are re sated at each successive ialfturn of the s aft. The slices already severed are prevented from leaving the pile by the uide 0, (see Figs. 11 and 12,) which guide is tted with two. pulleys 63 63, so that as the slices increase in number the guide pulleys travel up theguide-bars 64 64. These bars are slightly out of the prependieular, as y Fig. 9, so that each slice in the pile is moved during each cut slightly up an in clined ;plane as they are detached by the double spring n if the movement of the block being cut is upward. A handle 65 is afiixed to the guide-block o for convenience of removal. g r

The top of the machine, as shown by Figs. 1 and 2, is covered over by a Wood top '19.

Havin new particularly described and ascertaine the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. In a slicing-machine for meat and like material; a feed-table for supporting the material to be cuthaving rigid teeth at one side and adjustable teeth coo crating with the said rigid teeth, the feed-ta le being disposed horizontally, a screw-sleeve sup orting and moving the said table, a vertica screw-axis engaging and impeiling said table, means for adjusting the height of the table to the depth of the material to be cut, and cutting devices disposed horizontally above the table-and having means coo crating therewith for clearing the same an for holding the cut slices in vertical alineinent on the table above the cutting devices.

2. in a slicing-machine for meat and other material, a vertically-movable horizontallydis osed feed-table, fixed teeth and adjustab e teeth on the table facing each other, means for moving the adjustable teeth and guiding the same horizontally and for locking the said teeth with their points in the material to be cut, a rece tacle cooperating with the feed-table and block of material on the latter, cutting devices disposed horizontally above the feed-table, and means for clearing the cutting devices and preserving the cut slices in'vertical alinement above the latter and the feed table.

3. In a slicing-machine, a horizontally-disposed ieedtable, guides for the said table,

means for impartin vertical movement to the feed-table, a fee -receptacle cooperating with the latter, springs afiixed to said receptacle and pressing the material to be cut into position on the table, horizontally-disposed cutting devices arranged above the said ta bio, and means for holding the cut slices in vertical alinement over the table and cutting devices and for clearing the latter.

4. In a slicin -machine, a horizontaly-disposed feed-tab e, rotating knives horizontally arranged over the said table, springs to guide the cut portions of the material operated upon out of the path of the knife-blade succeeding the blade which has reflected the cut of the severed portion, and means for pre servi the out slices in vertical alinelnent on the ta is above the rotating knives.

5. In a machine for slicing meat and other materials, the combination of a horizontallydisposed support, a horizontally-rotating knife arranged over the support, and a spring pressure means cooperating with the said knife and by means of which the latter, after passing through the material to be cut, is caused to move under the spring means and abnormally deflect it, thereby preventing dragging action on the cut slices of material, and preserving said slices practically in the original shape'of the material before cutting. r

, n. In a machine for slicing meat and other materials, the combination of a horizontallydisposed support, a horizontally-arranged rotati'ng cutter. over the su port, and resilient guide means for the slice material which determine the inclination and position of the rising pile of slices." i 7 7. In a machine for slicing meat and other materials, the combination of a horiz ontally- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set disposed support, a horizontally-rotating my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- 1o cutter arranged over the support, and springnesses.

pressure plates cooperating with the cutter to prevent the slices of material as they are GEORGE EDWARDS severed being carried out of their normal po- Witnesses:

sition during the cutting operation of the cut- JOHN 000m: Hons,

ter. I ALFRED GEORGE BROOKES. 

